🎙️ In this episode of Colivers Club, we sit down with Jeanne Fontaniere, a well-known expert in coliving community building and management, currently at Chateau Coliving in France.

Jeanne shares her journey from volunteering at the Chateau to becoming its community manager, juggling everything from day-to-day tasks to creating a thriving community. We dive into her insights on what makes a great coliving space, how community dynamics evolve, and why coliving management goes beyond just hosting. Jeanne also talks about her exciting project, Nomad Trail, and the rise of pop-up colivings that cater to nomads looking for more than just a place to stay.

If you’re passionate about coliving or curious about how to foster genuine community connections, Jeanne’s experience will give you plenty to think about. 🎧

Cesar Alberca: Hello and welcome to another episode of Colivers Club. In this episode, we are going to talk to Jeanne Fontaniere. She is one of the most famous coliving community builders and managers. We met her at Bansto Nomad Fest, talking with different coliving owners and field operators about the challenges coliving communities face. Jeanne organizes a lot of coliving pop-ups and is truly an expert in community management for coliving. We’re really happy to have her here today, and we hope you enjoy the conversation.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Hi Cesar, thanks for the introduction! I’m good, how about you?

Cesar Alberca: Very good, yeah. I’m in a studio I found in Alcorcón, my hometown. That’s why the audio is better than usual. Usually, I record these on my laptop.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Awesome. I have a bit of an Airbnb-style background here, but it’s a chroma screen so I can put something behind if needed!

Cesar Alberca: You’ve been the host and community manager for Chateau Coliving in France. Can you tell us about your experience and what your day-to-day looks like?

Jeanne Fontaniere: Of course! I’ve been working at Chateau Coliving for over two years now. I initially came for a three-month experience as a volunteer, just organizing events on the weekends while holding a full-time job. But we kept extending, and now I work part-time for the Chateau. Half of the year, I’m on-site, and the rest of the year I work remotely, focusing on sales, marketing, and communication. When I’m at the Chateau, my days vary a lot based on what the guests need, or whatever’s happening on the property. Sometimes it’s as simple as organizing lunch, or dealing with a garden issue, and other times it’s much bigger.

Cesar Alberca: You work on creating a community. How do you do that?

Jeanne Fontaniere: In three simple steps? I wish it were that easy! Community is fragile, and it evolves quickly. Just one different coliver can change the entire dynamic. I see my role as a community manager more as enabling things rather than controlling everything. The goal is for people to feel empowered, to take charge of the community themselves. It’s in the small moments, in the rituals and unspoken rules that the real community forms. When people arrive, they instantly feel whether they’ll fit in, and my job is to help them find their role and feel comfortable stepping into it.

Cesar Alberca: What’s the difference between being a host and a community manager?

Jeanne Fontaniere: When people hear “community manager,” they often think of social media, but in coliving, the host handles check-ins, check-outs, and guest questions. A community manager deals with conflicts, daily interactions, and makes sure everyone is getting what they need—whether it’s full engagement or privacy. It’s about helping everyone achieve the experience they’re looking for.

Cesar Alberca: Do you think all colivings need a host or community manager?

Jeanne Fontaniere: I think so, especially for short-term colivings. Some longer-term communities might be able to self-organize, but having a reference point, someone to guide the experience, is crucial. I’ve been a guest at colivings before working in one, and I can tell you, the vibe is completely different when there’s someone actively managing the community. It makes the experience smoother for everyone.

Cesar Alberca: That’s what sets colivings apart from hotels or hostels, right? Having someone to introduce you to others, help organize activities…

Jeanne Fontaniere: Exactly. Ideally, I want people to not need me for everything, to feel confident enough to organize their own dinners or events. My job is done when the community runs itself. But to get there, you need someone to create that environment and set the values.

Cesar Alberca: You don’t want to open your own coliving, though. Why is that?

Jeanne Fontaniere: When I first started, I thought I’d love to open my own space. But now I see how much work it really is. I only handle a small part of what goes on at Chateau Coliving, and that alone is a lot. I don’t think the market needs another coliving from me. What’s needed are more projects that connect colivings, pop-ups, and collaborations. But opening a fixed coliving today? It’s not for me.

Cesar Alberca: That makes sense. It’s a huge responsibility, and we don’t often see what goes on behind the scenes.

Cesar Alberca: But you might not want to open a coliving soon or in the future, but you’re also involved in other projects, right? You’ve been collaborating with a project called Nomad Trail. Can you tell us more about that?

Jeanne Fontaniere: Yes, for sure. Nomad Trail is a project that started during Bansko Nomad Fest last year. It was an amazing event that brought together a lot of nomads and companies, including colivings that cater to nomads. On the last day, we had a simple coffee meetup with a few other people—some were coliving operators, some represented regions, others had their own projects. From that coffee, we decided to organize a trail linking multiple colivings. That’s how Nomad Trail was born.

The goal is to organize trails that take groups of 10-15 people from one coliving to another, starting in Europe, with a focus on sustainability and affordability. The trips can last anywhere from three to six months or even shorter, and we call them “trails.” I was working on the early stages of the project, and now the team is meeting this weekend in Switzerland to plan the year and future trails. People can sign up on the website to learn more and see what’s coming up this year.

Cesar Alberca: It’s a cool idea! I think this will happen more often. We’ve also seen the rise of pop-up colivings. Do you think we’ll see more of that in the future?

Jeanne Fontaniere: Definitely. Many of the established coliving spaces are well-known among nomads, especially those who travel from coliving to coliving without a home base. But there’s a growing need for something new, something different. We’re seeing more themed colivings and pop-ups that offer a unique experience. People crave novelty—that’s part of why they’re nomads.

Pop-up colivings are easier to organize than setting up a permanent coliving. We’ve seen places like Chateau and others organizing their own pop-up events, and I think we’ll see more of that in the future. It’s a great way to offer something new without the commitment of a full-time space.

Cesar Alberca: I also heard that Chateau organized a Worldschool pop-up coliving. Can you tell us more about that?

Jeanne Fontaniere: Yes, we did it last April. It was a month-long event for families who homeschool or have children in flexible schooling. It was an amazing experience to see families gather in one place. Usually, we welcome families on an individual basis, but this time we had only families staying at the Chateau, which created a completely different dynamic. It almost felt like a small village, with the kids in one area, the teenagers in another, and the parents able to do their own things, knowing their children were taken care of and enjoying themselves.

Cesar Alberca: How does building a community for digital nomads differ from building one for families?

Jeanne Fontaniere: It’s definitely different. You’re still working with people, but each family has its own dynamic, and you have to account for that. When you bring together individuals, it’s one thing, but when you bring together small groups like families, it’s another. Every family brings their own values, habits, and rituals, which multiplies and accelerates the community-building process. It grows faster and stronger in a short amount of time.

Cesar Alberca: Do you think we’ll see more families traveling together in the future?

Jeanne Fontaniere: I hope so. As the current generation of nomads starts families, I hope they continue traveling if they want to. There aren’t many structures for traveling families yet, but the benefits are clear—for both the kids and the family as a whole. We learn so much when we travel and work as nomads, and it’s incredibly valuable for families, too. But colivings will need to adapt to meet the needs of families, offering more privacy and tailored services.

Cesar Alberca: What do colivings need to change to accommodate families better?

Jeanne Fontaniere: The space would need to adapt. Families require more privacy and need to balance what parents and kids need. At Chateau, we have a dedicated building that allows families to be part of the community but also gives them their own space. You also need to plan different activities for families, as the logistics for kids and teenagers are different from adults. It’s a challenge, but it’s something we’re working on at Chateau, especially in partnership with local schools or universities for families who are homeschooling.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Outside of all these elements, any coliving can do it. But it needs to be part of the values and the identity of the place. Every coliving has its own soul, identity, and values. If it’s not something that aligns with those values, that’s totally fine too.

I also think if we had a network of colivings where you could homeschool or even have a dedicated teacher or pedagogic person, it would add a lot of value for families. You could offer an international education program, and that could be a big draw for coliving families.

Cesar Alberca: That’s super cool. I think there’s something similar in Paris for single moms. It’s not exactly a coliving, but it’s designed so they don’t feel alone. They get services for their kids, and there’s a community, though it’s more for people with a traditional lifestyle, working in Paris, not traveling or homeschooling.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Yeah, it’s interesting to see the different segments emerging. There’s a lot of potential in this industry, especially because there’s so much collaboration between colivings.

Cesar Alberca: How does this compare to other industries? Are there similar collaborations elsewhere?

Jeanne Fontaniere: It’s interesting because collaboration is key in coliving. I’m not sure many other industries compare. Maybe the cultural or artistic sectors, where artists and writers collaborate a lot. But for coliving, it’s core to the values—living, working, and creating together. It makes sense that collaboration would be such a big part of it.

Cesar Alberca: In software development, there’s the open-source community, which is all about collaboration. That’s the only industry I can think of that’s similar on such a large scale. But I wanted to ask, how do people who don’t know about coliving perceive it?

Jeanne Fontaniere: It’s tricky. Personally, I didn’t know what coliving or being a nomad was when I started. I just needed a place to stay and wanted to meet cool people. A lot of people today know what digital nomadism is, but not necessarily coliving. They might stumble upon it while looking for accommodation for nomads.

Coliving has many definitions, and for each definition, there are different kinds of products. You might end up in a “coliving” that’s more like a residential place with no community. If that’s not what you’re looking for, you might think all colivings are bad, when in reality, you just weren’t at the right one for you. There are misconceptions because people don’t fully understand the different types of colivings. It’s also a trendy term now, which doesn’t help.

Cesar Alberca: Yeah, there are so many places calling themselves colivings that aren’t really. They lack a community or a host, which is essential. That’s why your role as a community manager is so important.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Exactly. If I didn’t want a community, I’d stay in a hotel. A common misconception is that colivings are just hostels with co-working spaces, but it’s much more than that.

Cesar Alberca: So if you had to define coliving, what does it mean to you?

Jeanne Fontaniere: To me, coliving is about sharing life. It’s not just about sharing space, but sharing life while working and having fun together. A true coliving is a place where you don’t feel the need to lock your door. You know everyone by name and feel as comfortable as you would in your own living room. It’s a place where you can be yourself while sharing part of your life with others.

Cesar Alberca: That’s something you can’t always gauge from a website or pictures. What should people look for when choosing a coliving?

Jeanne Fontaniere: It’s hard to define with just visuals. But there are some things you can look for: the minimum stay—if it’s less than two weeks, the community might change too often. The group size—if it’s over 25 or 50 people, it might not be a nomad-focused coliving. Also, check if they have a co-created calendar or a host. The values of the place are crucial too. A true coliving will have a clear identity and values, unlike hotels or hostels that prioritize different things.

Cesar Alberca: What are your top three tips for managing a coliving?

Jeanne Fontaniere: First, don’t forget the rituals. They’re what matter most to people. It could be meals like family dinners or breakfasts, or weekly activities like gardening. These rituals build the soul of a place. Second, never leave conflicts unresolved. Negative energy spreads quickly in a community, so deal with issues early. If everyone is open and talks about it, it won’t escalate into something bigger. That’s essential for maintaining a healthy community.

Jeanne Fontaniere: If everyone is open about it, then it cannot amplify and become a real issue that threatens the community. To me, it has happened in Chateau, and it happens in every space. Usually, the issue arises because we didn’t address it fast enough. It’s always about emotions, something that triggers an emotional response at the end of the day.

Cesar Alberca: And your last tip? You gave me two.

Jeanne Fontaniere: The last tip… live writing! I have to think about it. Maybe I’ll put it in the description later.

Cesar Alberca: We’ll add your social media, and you can give us the last tip if we pay for a subscription to your website or something.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Haha, exactly.

Cesar Alberca: We’ve talked about the best tips and things to do when managing a coliving. As a community manager, what do you think are common mistakes people make?

Jeanne Fontaniere: I would say that my second tip about conflict is a big one. Another common mistake is not giving enough thought to the onboarding process. Onboarding is one of the most important things you can do to set the tone for someone’s experience. There’s nothing worse than a coliver arriving and not knowing where to go, what to do, or what’s happening next.

We have a thorough process for checking people in that we update regularly based on feedback. It might feel like a lot of information, but we take the time to explain everything, go over the house rules, and what’s happening in the space. We also sit down with each guest, ask their expectations, and walk them through our Notion page that explains a lot of what they need to know.

Cesar Alberca: Yeah, I think that’s important, especially when there are many people. It’s easy to forget names, and having a place where you can check them is super helpful. I remember at Naive Coliving, they took a picture of you, and at first, I thought it was in case I went missing! But they just had a wall with everyone’s pictures and names. It was so nice because if you forgot someone’s name, you could check it quickly.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Exactly! Slack or WhatsApp pictures help too.

Cesar Alberca: Speaking of digital tools, since I’m a digital guy, what tools do you use to create community? You mentioned Slack, but have you considered Discord or using WhatsApp and Telegram communities?

Jeanne Fontaniere: Slack is what we use most because it allows for multiple channels. WhatsApp gets confusing for me, especially with community WhatsApp groups—it’s too much! Now, with WhatsApp communities, each channel is a group, but I’m not sure how well that would scale.

Cesar Alberca: Yeah, I’ve seen places try it. It seems like anything can work if it’s well organized.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Exactly. It’s all about the thought and effort you put into it, the consistency of use, and how you explain it to people. Slack might be familiar to some, but others may never have used it before. If they’re only staying for a short time, it might not be worth learning the tool.

Cesar Alberca: It’s all about making sure the tool fits the community’s needs, right?

Jeanne Fontaniere: Definitely. For example, we use Slack for its threads and the ability to pin messages. We also co-create our weekly agenda at our family meetings every Monday. We post a recap of what we discussed, and now each activity has someone assigned to it. This change has made a huge difference.

Last summer, someone organized a full-on festival at the Chateau, with teams and events, and I didn’t have to do anything. It was amazing to see how involved people were.

Cesar Alberca: You’re fired, Jeanne! You’re fired! Haha.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Haha, it was just incredible to see how people took charge. When people identify with an activity, they’re more motivated to make it happen.

Cesar Alberca: Exactly. When people feel responsible for something, it’s more successful. If you were the one pushing all the time, it wouldn’t have the same impact.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Absolutely. And when it comes from another coliver, it’s received differently. It’s more powerful when peers motivate each other rather than having everything come from the host or community manager.

Cesar Alberca: Do you think all colivings need a community manager, or can the host take on that role?

Jeanne Fontaniere: They can be the same person, but in larger spaces or residential colivings, you might need different roles. At Chateau, we differentiate between the host, the community manager, and other team members like the house manager or yoga instructor. But as long as someone takes on those roles, it can work.

Cesar Alberca: So your job is safe, Jeanne! No worries there.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Haha, thank you!

Cesar Alberca: This has been such a great conversation. Thanks for joining us.

Jeanne Fontaniere: Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure!

Cesar Alberca: This episode has been powered by Mapmelon. Thanks for listening!